Those 27,000 students are part of an even bigger group. In the academic year that just ended, a total of 120,000 eligible MAP applicants were turned away. (Compare that to 60,000 the year before.) And the crisis is expected to grow dramatically in the year ahead.

The majority of students – 17,575 of the 27,000 – were seeking small loans to help pay for their tuition at public community colleges.

This crisis in educational funding is not unique to Illinois – it’s also being played out in California, Massachusetts and other states. But maybe StraighterLine can help. If you're a student in Illinois or elsewhere who needs help trimming college costs, why not sign up for some of the cost-effective college courses that we deliver through distance learning? And if you're the state of Illinois? Well, we extend the hand of friendship to you too. If you call upon us, we are ready to help.